Toy aircraft



March 11; 1947. PQRTER 2,41%2367 TOY AIR CRAFT Filed Nov. 27, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l j aroldzlforler I WWW:

gwu wm March 11, 1947. I PORTER 2,417,267

TOY AIRCRAFT Filed Nov. 2'7, 19 43 2 Sheets-Shet 2 iilllllllllll I Patented Mar. 11, 1947 TOY AIRCRAFT Harold M. Porter, Hagerstown, Md., assignor to The Mitchel-Tyler Company,

Hagerstown,

Md., a corporation of Maryland Application November 27, 1943, Serial No. 511,977

9 Claims.

' This invention relates to toy aircraft and more particularly to a retractible wing glider of the catapult launched type.

Retractible wing gliders which are launched with a catapult were originally designed to permit high launching speeds resulting in the attainment of greater heights and better gliding distances. Such gliders in general fall into two categories; thosein which the wings merely pivot rearwardly in a single plane and those in which the wings not only pivot rearwardly but also downwardly to lie in planes parallel to the vertical plane of the fuselage. Of the two. the first mentioned type has the advantage of being easy and inexpensive to construct but has also the disadvantage of offering too little wing surface to the air during launching, resulting in loss of height due to premature return of the wings to extended gliding position. In the second type mentioned above, thisdifliculty is avoided since the flat surfaces of the wings rather than their leading edges are exposed to the air currents in launching. This results in the attainment of better height and in generally more satisfactory operation. However, due to the complexity of the movement involved in displacing the wings from gliding position to a retracted position fiat against the fuselage, this type of glider has always been more costly to construct, involving complex pivotal mountings, springs, hinges, etc.,

all incidentally contributing undesirable weight.

It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome the foregoing disadvantages and to provide a toy airplane glider of simple and light weight construction, the wings of which may be retracted from gliding position to a launching position flat against the fuselage and yet will automatically return, in flight, to a predetermined gliding po-sition resulting in long glides from great heights.

According to this invention it is contemplated that the wings be held against relative movement to facilitate catapult launching and that while retracted and so held the wings will serve to hold in position for delayed discharge an object such as a simulated bomb.

More specifically it is an object of this invention to provide a retractible wing. arrangement in which a single elastic band functions to support and position the wings in flight, to return the Wings from retracted position, and as a point of pivot for movement of thewings to and from retracted position.

I Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a consideration of the fol- 2 lowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof in connection with the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an airplane glider constructed according to this invention, illustrating the manner of launching the same with the main wings fully retracted;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof with the main wings in liding position;

Figure 3 is a top plan view similar to Figure 2 with the main wings shown in retracted or' launching position;

Figure 4 is a view in rear elevation of the tail wing assembly of the airplane glider shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the airplane glider of Figure 2 with the main wings shown in gliding position;

Figure 6 is a view in section taken on-line 6-5 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a View in section taken from behind the main wings illustrating the initial movement in retracting them from the Figure 5 to the a Figure 6 position; and

Figure 8 is a View in detail of the device used in aligning the main wings in retracted position.

Referring now in greater detail to the illustrations, the airplane glider is made up principally of a flat, vertically disposed body or fuselage Ill, main wings H and a tail wing assembly ii.

The fuselage i0 is provided with a notched nose piece 13 which fits over its leading end and is fastened thereto by brads M or the like. Since the vertical height of nose piece 13 is greater than the corresponding vertical dimension of the fuselage, the resulting projecting portion 15 of the former is conveniently used to receive the elastic band It of the launching catapult as can be seen in Figures 1 and 6. The nose piece l3 also functions as a weight to depress the nose of the glider in flight so that the main. wings wil be in best position to afford themaximum lifting effect from the forward motion of the glider. To this end, nose piece it may be made of heavier material than the fuselage so as to afford the proper concentration of weight forward of the main wings. The fuselage H! is customarily made of balsa or other like wood of sufficient strength but little weight.

The tail wing assembly i2 may be made of cardboard or like material as a unitary construe tion. The blank may be folded centrally at H, see Figure 4, and the resulting upstanding portions fastened over the fuselage by staples !8 or the like. The remaining ends are then fold- 3 7 ed at right angles to define tail wings l9. To hold the tail wings IS in a plane normal to the planeof the fuselage 16, a reinforcing strip 26 may be passed through slits cut in each tail wing l9 and under the resulting straps 2! to overlie the upper surfaces of each wing as can 26 may be made of any material ofsufiicient be seen in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Reinforcing strip rigidity to maintain tail wings [9 in position under conditions of flight.

Each main wing H is attached at its base to* a rectangular block 22 of a length about equal to the chord-wise width of the wing, of a height the. fuselage to permit-the. band to pass therethrough and thus connectv the blocks and urge the air pressure on wings H is no longer sufficient to overcome the thrust of band 25.

It can be seen that because of the tendency of wings I! to pivot in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 6, difficulty might be experienced in preventing the wings from slipping out of the grip of the operator duringlaunching or rotating in a clockwise, direction under stress of the elastic band immediately after the glider is launched. According to the present invention this difficulty is obviated by guide members or projections 29 which extend laterally from opequal to about half the height of the fuselage and of a width which can best be'determinedby them toward one another and against oppo'site sides"v of'the: fuselage as can. best be seen in Figure21. By this arrangement, a single elastic band servesto hold resiliently; in flying position, both ofthe main wings. It is apparent that by beveling the sides of. the blocks which rest against fuselage l0. itiispossible to. dispose the wings H" in any flying-position; since, the elastic band will always draw those sides. of the blocks into tight engagement with the: fuselage and the" angle Which the; top of each; block; makes withthe fuselage will also. of necessity be the wing angle.

It will be noted. that slot- 26 is about equal in length tothe: distance between the bottoms of the notches 23 and 2 1 in blocks. 22 so that the band asses straight through the fuselage to connect the two blocks at their ends. It has been foundthat if; the-distancebetween the bottoms of. notches 23 and 2t1 is equal'to or possibly slightly greater than-the length of slot 26, proper positioning of wings l I for flight results.

To retract the wings to launching position they are first bent down'to the full line position of: Figure 7 and: then pivoted in an anti-clockwise direction as indicated in. Figure 6 to assume the position illustratedin Figures 3 and 6. In view of the. fact that wings H are pivoted rearwardly, there is av tendency for the portion of band 25, connecting, notches; 23 to-move inslot, 2s. toward the portion thereof connecting notchesZd. If this were to-happenthe band would be merely twisted. helically about A; turn and'itsthrust would be. hardly sufficient to restore the. wings H to gliding position. Therefore, to prevent this tendency, auxiliary angularly disposed notches. 2'? and 28 are provided at opposite ends. of. slot. 26,. see. Figure 6. These notches receive theportions of. theband connecting. opposite ends of. blocks. 22. and prevent. them from moving toward. one. another. As a. result, these. portions of. band. 25- are. greatly stressed when, the wings. are retracted, see Figures 3. and. 6, so, that. the wings I] are strongly urged to pivot ina clockwise direction as viewed in. Figure6 to resume. the position. of Figures 2 and 5. Y

With. the wings ll fully retracted, launching is effected by pressing the wings toward, one: an.- other. with the thumb. and forefinger. of one hand, the other hand being used to hold the catapult, see Figure 1. The glider, is thus projected into the. air and. will assume gliding; position when posite sides of the fuselage near the tail assemly; !2. Wings- H are provided with apertures at 36 which register with projections 29 when the wings are retracted so that the'wings are prevented from pivoting, away from the Figure 6 position so long as they are held together manually; After launching the wings are held to gether during upward flight by the pressure of the air on their flat surfaces. As a matter of construction, projections 29,: may be integral. with'a metal blank of the type shown in Figure 8. A narrow slit-is cut: lengthwiseiin the fuselage i9 and fiat portion 3I' ofithe-blank, about equal in width to the thickness of the fuselage is in.- serted therein with its long axis: parallel to the long axis of the fuselage. v down against opposite sides-of the fuselage to hold the blank in position with, projecting pore tions 29' extending outwardly from the fuselage to act as a guide forthe wings.

In Figures 1, 2, 3 and 6 there is shown a simu lated bomb 33 hanging from oneofthe projeca tions 29. This deviceis simply a weight and a loop member safer suspending the'weight from: a projection 29. The weight may conveniently; consist of a double, thickness of the-loop material. Both may be madeofcardboarde when the Wings are retracted, the simulated bomb;

is held against falling and so. will be. carried. by the glider during the initial portion. of its: flight. When, however, the wings return to gliding position there is nothingto. keep-bomb loop 35 from sliding off of projection 29: under the; influence of its weight 3a. This? will causethe, bomb to fall some distance from the place atwhich the glider was launched and. is :realistic enough to considerably augment. the amusement afforded by the glider.

Of course, instead of asimulatedibomb a small. parachute or other device may be held by projection 23 and realistically released when thewings spring to gliding position;

In the accompanying drawings, there. is shown. a preferred embodiment of theinventionand the application thereof. These drawings. andv the foregoingspecification. and description are not. intended. to. be exhaustive. nor limiting. of, the in.- vention, but. on. the contrary areintended witha view to best explaining. the invention andprinr 7 ciples thereof and the bestmanner ofembodying l. A toy airplane glider: comprising a body-, I

wings: extending on,op'posite sides; of said body and resilientmeansi connecting; the; bases. of the Tabs 32 are then? bent wings extending on opposite sides of said body,

a block on the base of each wing adapted torest against said body to position the wing for gliding, and resilient means connecting the blocks through the body at spaced points, said means constituting the sole connection of said wings to the body and to each other whereby the wings are resiliently held in gliding position but may be folded to lie flat against the body for launching.

3. A toy airplane glider comprising a body, wings extending on opposite sides of said body, a block on the base of each wing adapted to rest against said body to position the wing for gliding, said body having a longitudinal slot therein at the wing zone, an elastic band passing around said blocks and connectingthe respective ends of each through the longitudinal slot to bias said blocks against opposite sides of said body portion to hold the wings in gliding position, and means for holding the portions of the band connecting the respective ends of said blocks against movement toward one another, whereby the wings may be folded downwardly and pivoted rearwardly to lie in planes substantially parallel to the body portion for catapult launching while the stored energy in said elastic band will restore the wings to gliding position when air pressure on said wings is reduced.

4. A toy airplane glider comprising a body, wings extending on opposite sides of said body, a block on the base of each wing adapted to rest against said body to position the wing for gliding, said body having a longitudinal slot therein at the wing zone, and an elastic band passing around said blocks and connecting th respective ends of each through the longitudinal slot to bias said blocks against opposite sides of said body to hold the wings in gliding position, a downwardly extending notch in said body at the front end of the longitudinal slot, an upwardly extending notch in said body at th rear end of the longitudinal slot to hold the portions of the band connecting the respective ends of said blocks against movement toward one another, whereby the wings may be folded downwardly and pivoted rearwardly to lie in planes substantially parallel to the body portion for catapult launching while the stored energy in said elastic band will restore the wings to gliding position when air pressure on said wings is reduced.

5. A toy airplan glider comprising a flat, v'ertically extending body, wings mounted on the forward portion of said body for movement from a gliding position in a plane substantially normal to the plane of the body to a launching position parallel to the plane of the body, means normally biasing said wings to gliding position, said means constituting the sole connection of said wings to the body and to each other, said wings having slots therein adjacent their ends, and means projecting laterally from the said body in a position to register with said slots when the wings are in launching position, whereby the wings ar readily held against their normal bias during launching and upward flight.

6. A toy airplane glider as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a simulated bomb having a loop, said loop being passed over one of the means projecting laterally from said body whereby when the wings are retracted the simulated bomb will be held for flight with the glider while when the wings are extended, the simulated bomb will fall by gravity.

7. A toy airplane glider comprising a body, wings extending on opposite sides of said body, a block on the base of each wing adapted to rest against said body to position the wings for gliding, resilient means connecting the blocks through the body at spaced points, said means constituting the sole connection of said wings to the body and to each other, and means projecting laterally from said body, said wings having slots therein adjacent their ends for cooperation with the means projecting laterally from the body when the wings are in launching position, whereby the wings are held against the action of the resilient means tending to restore them to gliding position.

8. A toy airplane glider as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a simulated bomb having a loop, said loop being passed over one of the means projecting laterally from said body whereby when the wings are retracted the simulated bomb will be held for flight with the glider while when the wings are extended, the simulated bomb will fall by gravity.

9. A toy airplane glider comprising a body, wings extending on opposite sides of said body, a block on the base of each wing adapted to rest against said body to position the wing for gliding, said body having a longitudinal slot therein at the wing zone, .and an elastic band passing around said blocks and connecting the respective ends of each through the longitudinal slot to bias said blocks against opposite sides of said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,924,261 Thompson Aug. 29, 1933 1,920,746 Guillow Aug. 1, 1933 2,221,012 Walker Nov. 12, 1940 2,228,697 Emmick Jan. 14, 1941 2,268,487

Jacobs Dec. 30, 1941 V 

